Reclaiming Life, One Story at a Time

Specifically, I survived a 17-year relationship with a narcissist.  So what is a narcissist?  The Mayo Clinic officially describe Narcissistic Personality Disorder ("NPD") like this: 

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"Causes problems in many areas of life, such as relationships" is an understatement.  People with NPD, or even just people with high narcissistic traits, often psychologically and emotionally mistreat those around them.  This is so common that there's even a name for it -- "narcissistic abuse."  Narcissists all seem to share the same playbook.  They shower you with affection, shift to criticisms and insults, pull away or ignore you, then pull you back in with false promises or sudden kindness.  They refuse to take responsibility (for anything!), isolate you from friends and family, deny facts or twist the truth to make you doubt yourself, ignore you, and/or withhold affection as a form of punishment.  In my case, all of this was coupled with constant demeaning comments, name-calling, constant profanities, and guilt trips whenever my attention wasn't on him (even if it was on our kids or work instead).  The overall result of this kind of abuse can include self-doubt about your thoughts, feelings, and emotions; constantly feeling like you're walking on eggshells to avoid outbursts; anxiety; depression; and post-traumatic stress.  

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My divorce from my narcissistic ex was finalized on March 31, 2026, but he continues to plague my life.  Even so, I am slowly beginning to recover, and I know I am already better compared to how I was in May 2025, when he was first removed from our home pursuant to an Emergency Protective Order.   Still, it's going to be a long journey to fully recover who I was before I crossed paths with my narcissistic ex.

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I was telling a friend about my ex's latest antics one day, and I realized it sounded so crazy that I wouldn't have believed it if not for the fact that I lived it myself.  All I can do at this point is shake my head and laugh...because what else are you going to do? 

Hopefully sharing these stories will provide you with a little entertainment.  (And don't worry, I have plenty of crazy stories that don't involve my ex to help lighten the mood!)  Hopefully sharing these stories will provide me with a little therapeutic relief.  And hopefully these stories will help at least one woman out currently experiencing narcissistic abuse there realize she isn't alone.  

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I have survived a narcissistic ex.  I am still surviving a narcissistic ex.  And I am stronger because of it.   

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*   I am using my real name because it is common enough, but I'm using initials or pseudonyms for everyone else to protect their privacy.  The list of pseudonyms and explanations of why I chose them can be found on the "People You Should Know" page.

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**  I'm trying not to take images off the internet where I can help it, so the vast majority of the images accompanying the blogs (other than screenshots of text messages or emails) are created by me using AI and Adobe Firefly.  When I do take an image from somewhere else, I'm doing my best to credit where the image came from.  If I don't properly credit an image, though, I apologize in advance to the rights holder.  If you contact me, I will either remove the image or give you the credit you are due, whichever you prefer.  

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